YOU in the game.
I feel you could personalize this a little bit by have YOU be a character in the game. You would assign yourself a ship, and bring certain bonuses to that fleet.
Captain Abilities
These would have to be earned, accumulated, or purchased in some way.
SPY GLASS-cost, 10 turns. Reveals all fleets at current port regardless of danger.
GRAPPLE&BOARD-cost, 25 turns. Doubles your chances of stealing a ship.
MARINE SNIPER-cost, 100 turns. If successful, enemy commander loses all his abilities.
ARMADA-cost, 150 turns. Adds second fleet if present to attack.
FIRESHIP-cost, 200 turns. Potentially destroys enemy fleet completely.
TRAP-cost, 300 turns (yes you’d need to spend coins to do this) For 12 hours, if the fleet is attacked, 50% chance that the entire attacking fleet is captured.
I would also suggest that moving your captain around would be semi realistic, can’t just teleport, you’d have to meet the next fleet at port. You could also have warehouse and diplomatic bonuses and abilities if you chose to stay on land.
Duel would be fun too, you against another captain if you are both on land in the same port with bonuses at stake.
Just a thought, don’t think were talking too much code here really, most of the effects are simply modifications of already existing subroutines. What do people think?